Video games have commonly been playable by more than a single player. Multiplayer video games are those that can be played either competitively or cooperatively by using multiple input devices (known as “controllers”). In local multiplayer games (multiple players playing on a single console), there is no visual mechanism for providing secret information to a single player without informing all players.
One attempt to provide secret information to one player without informing all players is a split-screen multiplayer mode. In this mode, the television (TV) screen or monitor is split into two, three, or four portions, each controlled by a different player simultaneously by their own controller. Split-screen gaming has several disadvantages. For example, the tactical play of the game can be ruined by a player looking at one of the screens controlled by the other players. By looking at the screen controller by another player, it is possible to view messages meant specifically for the other player and/or view where the other player is located in the game.